McSorley Suspended From NHL Until Feb.

Marty McSorley will serve one year on suspension for slashing Vancouver’s Donald Brashear across the head.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the former Boston Bruins
defenseman can return to the ice on Feb. 21.
The suspension is the longest for an on-ice act of violence in NHL history.

Bettman had suspended McSorley indefinitely after the attack
during a game in Vancouver.

“I believe I owe it both to this player and to all other
present and future NHL players to impose a suspension of a definite
and ascertainable length,” Bettman said. “I have also considered
Mr. McSorley’s desire to have an opportunity to play in the NHL
again in conjunction with his expressed remorse for his actions.

McSorley, a 17-year NHL veteran, is a free agent and can begin practicing on Jan. 1.

Convicted of Assault

McSorley originally was suspended for the remainder of the
1999-00 season and playoffs by Bettman, who noted that the player
skipped a hearing held two days after the game.

He then was convicted of assault with a weapon on Oct. 6, with
Judge William Kitchen giving McSorley a conditional discharge,
meaning McSorley will not have a criminal record.

The conviction, which McSorley said he will not appeal, was the
first of an NHL player for an on-ice hit since 1988.

Decision Carefully Considered
Bettman looked at enhanced videotapes of the slash before
rendering his decision. McSorley claimed he was trying to goad
Brashear into a fight late in a 5-2 loss and was not attempting to
injure him.

Brashear missed 20 games with a concussion, but rejoined the
Canucks last season.

Before making his decision, Bettman met with McSorley, his
agents Mike Barnett and J.P. Barry, and his attorney Paul Kelly.
Ian Pulver and Ian Penny of the NHL Players Association
participated in the meeting by telephone, while Bettman was joined
by Colin Campbell, the league’s executive vice president and
director of hockey operations, who handles most disciplinary cases.

Bettman said, “I simply cannot in good conscience justify imposing a
suspension of less than one calendar year given the nature of the
incident in question, regardless of the effect that suspension may
have on Mr. McSorley’s career.

“At the same time, however, by
imposing a suspension of one year (as opposed to a set number of
games), and with the suspension scheduled to end nearly one full
month before this season’s trade deadline, I believe it is quite
possible that Mr. McSorley might, in fact, be able to sign another
NHL contract and therefore continue his NHL career during the
2000-01 season,” said Bettman